In these final words of St. Mark it is recorded that Jesus has now spoken his final words to His disciples regarding His great commission to them to proceed into the world and preach the good news to everyone. According to St. Luke's gospel Jesus quotes from Isaiah 61:1-2, why he came and the message He brought to mankind. "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:17) Jesus is basically telling them to continue what He had already begun. While on the cross Jesus declared that His work on earth was finished and in His death He had accomplished all He came to do to make the way for our salvation. But His job as our intercessor had only just begun.
St. Mark writes that He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. The priests who had prepared the sacrifices and placed them on the altar in the temple over and over had no seats for them to sit signifying the continuing obligation of this job. Jesus on the other hand when He had been the final sacrifice He ascended to heaven and sat down signifying His completed work as the high priest of all and the ultimate sacrificial lamb that was slain once and for all. His role as intercessor is an eternal one. The writer to the Hebrews bears this out for us. "Consequently He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself." (Heb. 7:25-27)
This preparation for our salvation is a completed act and therefore requires nothing else on the part of Jesus or anyone else in making salvation possible for mankind. In this Jesus is our eternal intercessor for all mankind in that He is always available to extend His completed work on Calvary to all those who need forgiveness and salvation. All mankind has to do is believe in this accomplished work. Jesus prepared a way for us to enter into the Holy Place so that through Christ we have access to God. Jesus opened this door for mankind through his intercessory work. With His blood sprinkled over us experientially we have access into the Holy of Holies, and for us that is into the presence of God. This has been made possible for us by our mediator, and intercessor the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater message and good news one could bring to mankind then to tell them they have access to God. That a way has been prepared beyond anything that they could have accomplished or is necessary for them to do which was impossible by their own merits. Again salvation is a gift from God.
His servants and yours,
Gerard & Yolanda Cleffi Directors
Oratory of Divine Love
Christ offered the perfect sacrifice to God in His Passion. He was a legitimate minister, that is, He was the Priest appointed by God to offer this sacrifice. He offered His own sufferings and life to God. He was Himself the victim of the sacrifice, because He was immolated on the Cross. By giving His life to God, He paid tribute to God's supreme dominion over His life and death.
Walter Farrell, O.P., S.T.M., Martin J. Healy, S.T.D., My Way of Life, Brooklyn, NY, Confraternity of the Precious Blood, Pgs.547-548
O God, our Father, strengthen us with humility and wisdom. Teach us to be thankful for the precious mystery of life that you have made ours. Bless our efforts to promote the total development of each and every human being that all might reach the fullness of their potential and dignity as your sons and daughters. Amen.
Terence Cardinal Cooke, Prayers For Today, Staten Island, NY, Alba House, Pgs.6-7